Note! The Master's programme is not open for enrolment from 2020

During the Master’s programme in Mechanical Design, you learn how to design, draw, produce and test machines of all shapes and sizes. You become a technical problem solver, and you learn how to optimise existing systems and processes, adapt new inventions to alternative applications, and develop new solutions.

The programme offers you the opportunity to work with:

• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and modelling techniques
• Commercial FEA software packages: ANSYS and ABAQUS and PLAXIS
• Proper design of structural details and mechanical systems
• Offshore structures design
• Programming: MatLab, Fortran, Python
• Experimental methods and LabVIEW

In your semester projects, you and your project group will work with complex and relevant issues in relation to mechanical design, that challenge you to use all of your combined knowledge to come up with possible solutions. You are encouraged to occasionally collaborate with external organisations and businesses in your projects to get an idea of the work processes and current issues in the industry. This will prepare you better for your own work life after you graduate.

This is a full-time study programme, which is characterised by problem based project work in groups. You will be working closely with other students most of the time, and you are required to be present at the university on a daily basis and spend a vast majority of your day there.

The Master’s programme entitles you to the designation Master of Science (MSc) in Engineering (Mechanical Design).

Many graduates from the Master’s programme in Mechanical Design work in development or research departments. Other possibilities include sales departments, production companies, consulting engineering companies, or the public sector.

During the Master’s programme in Mechanical Design, you work with construction, calculation, innovation, and development in relation to mechanical systems. You are taught how to design and draw machines as well as how to plan the production and testing.

You are introduced to a wide range of design and construction tools, both classic and modern, which will give you an extensive knowledge of mechanical systems.

The teaching combines lectures, laboratory work and project work. During each of the first two semesters, you will split your time equally between three 5 ECTS courses and one 15 ECTS semester project. The courses will provide you with the basic knowledge, and the projects will allow you to dig deeper into the matter and focus on particular topics that you are interested in. The projects are typically done in small groups.

The study programmes at AAU are based on problem based learning and project work, which gives you a unique opportunity to acquire new knowledge and competences at a high academic level in an independent manner. You get to apply theory to practice in your semester projects, which will prepare you better for your future career.

Graduates from the Master’s programme in Mechanical Design have many possible career paths. Problem based learning and working in groups during your study programme will give you many useful skills that make you an attractive candidate on the job market. You know how to approach a problem and solve it in collaboration with other people, which is often how things are done in the “real world”.

Many graduates work in development or research departments. Other possibilities include sales departments, production companies, consulting engineering companies, or the public sector.

Examples of work tasks

• Testing blades for wind turbines - As a graduate from Mechanical Design, you can test blades for wind turbines. The blades are tested in various ways in terms of overload and fatigue.
• Maintenance of offshore platforms - Another example of a job for a Mechanical Engineer is to maintain offshore platforms. Here it is important, that you can keep track of many tasks at the same time and carefully plan and coordinate. This entails for example planning as little downtime as possible and making sure that control and follow-ups are conducted in a satisfactory manner.
• Consultancy - As a consulting engineer, you can have very diverse work tasks, because you can consult on many different issues within the industry.